The do’s and don’ts of travel insurance

Travel insurance? Ah, now there’s a trickier item to check off the list.

The world of travel insurance plans, such as those on offer by Virgin Travel Insurance, is vast and sometimes confusing. There are many options to choose from, and plenty of Ts and Cs to get your head around before a trip.

So what should you be doing with regards to your travel insurance? And, perhaps more importantly, what shouldn’t you be doing?

Do: Your research

Budget and levels of cover: You need to ensure that you’ll be covered to ensure you have peace of mind. When researching, check:

The total price of the policy

Any excess amounts

The maximum amounts you’ll be covered for

What is NOT included or covered

Additional Options: Make sure you also check the additional cover options available. These could offer the exact right kind of coverage you require for your holiday, as they offer more specific plans. For example, if you are going on a skiing holiday to somewhere special, you might want to purchase the Snow Pack with either a Comprehensive, Domestic or Multi-Trip policy, as it covers situations such as emergency rescue and avalanche closure, which may be excluded from other travel insurance policies.

Don’t: Leave without knowing how and when to claim

Your individual Certificate of Insurance will outline the details related to your cover, including your excess. However, you still need to know how and when you should make a claim whilst on holiday.

The claim process is quite easy for Virgin Travel Insurance customers. We have multiple contact numbers which you can call up, even in an emergency at goodness knows what time of the morning. If you are overseas, you’ll be glad to know our emergency assistance line can be reverse-charged (collect call).

As for the specifics on when to claim, check out our handy how-to guide on claims and emergencies to see what to do in a variety of situations.

Do: Purchase early

Packing travel insurance is as important as that extra emergency pair of socks.

To make sure you leave prepared, make sure you organise your cover early. In fact, you can open a new policy up to 12 months prior to your holiday. We recommend taking out cover as soon as your flights and hotels are booked, so it’s all done at the same time, and you’re covered if your flights are cancelled or changed.

Don’t: Wait until you are overseas

If an accident were to occur on your overseas holiday and you weren’t already covered, unfortunately we can’t help you. In order to get new cover, you need to do so before you leave.

However, while you are overseas you are able to extend your cover. Should you decide you want or need to stay a little longer, simply contact us prior to your policy’s expiration date and we’ll work out a new Certificate of Insurance for you. If you will be sending your extension request by post, it will need to arrive at least seven days before your policy expiration date.

This will incur an additional premium, though there are situations where we can extend your cover at no extra cost. The ‘Extension of Cover’ section on page 15 of the Product Disclosure Statement has more information on the subject.

Virgin Money Australia

This information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal financial situation, needs or objectives. As we don’t know your financial needs we can’t advise if our products will suit you. Please consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and/or Terms and Conditions available at virginmoney.com.au before making a decision about the product.